Air guide panel for air-cooled internal combustion engines

Abstract

An air guide panel is provided for an air-cooled internal combustion engine which has closable cleaning openings between the cooling air openings. This air guide panel makes it easier to clean the cooling fins on the cylinder pipes because the cleaning process can be carried out without removing the air guide panel.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. An air guide panel for an air-cooled internal combustion engine which is arranged along a lateral side of at least two adjacent cylinders and has cooling air outlet openings characterized by closable cleaning openings in the air guide panel between the cooling air openings. 
     
     
       2. The air guide panel of claim 1 wherein said air guide panel includes a stationary component which is secured to the engine and a movable component shiftable along said stationary component between engine operating and cleaning positions, said cleaning openings being closed in said engine operating position of said movable component and being open in said cleaning position of said movable component. 
     
     
       3. The air guide panel of claim 2 wherein said air guide panel includes guide pins mounted on said stationary component and slots in the movable component, said guide pins extending into said slots to guide said movable component along said stationary component between said engine operating and cleaning positions. 
     
     
       4. The air guide panel of claim 3 wherein at least one of the guide pins is a locking bolt. 
     
     
       5. The air guide panel of claim 3 and further comprising biasing means urging said components into frictional engagement with one another. 
     
     
       6. The air guide panel of claim 5 wherein said biasing means includes a resilient coil spring surrounding each of a plurality of said guide pins. 
     
     
       7. The air guide panel of claim 6 wherein at least one of said guide pins is a locking bolt and the remaining of said guide pins are each surrounded by a coil spring. 
     
     
       8. The air guide panel of claim 2 wherein said movable component is supported by means including a resilient biasing spring urging said movable component toward its engine operating position. 
     
     
       9. The air guide panel of claim 8 wherein said spring is a spiral spring having a pair of legs connected, respectively, to said components. 
     
     
       10. The air guide panel of claim 2 wherein said stationary component includes plates extending toward said cylinders to guide the cooling air. 
     
     
       11. The air guide panel of claim 2 wherein said movable component has at least one opening which registers with one of said cooling air openings in said engine operating position and with said one of said cleaning openings in said cleaning position. 
     
     
       12. The air guide panel of claim 2 wherein upper and lower guides are provided on said stationary component and the upper and lower edges of said movable component engage said guides, respectively, thereby serving to guide said movable component in its shifting movement between its engine operating and cleaning positions. 
     
     
       13. The air guide panel of claim 12 and further comprising spring means operatively interposed between said components and resiliently urging said movable component toward its engine operating position.